


sweet sorrow

by forpeaches (bluecarrot)



Category: A Song of Ice and Fire - George R. R. Martin, Game of Thrones (TV), Romeo And Juliet - Shakespeare
Genre: Alternate Universe - Modern Setting, Alternate Universe - Neighbors, F/M, I'm Bad At Titles, Idiots in Love, Light Angst, Longing Gazes, Pining, References to Shakespeare, Romeo and Juliet References, Short & Sweet, Wordcount: 100-1.000, friends to QUESTION MARK
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2020-06-12
Updated: 2020-06-12
Packaged: 2021-03-03 22:28:43
Rating: General Audiences
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 1
Words: 795
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/24673108
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/bluecarrot/pseuds/forpeaches
Summary: Jaime’s neighbor — and occasional friend — is a tall young woman with the most extraordinary eyes.
Relationships: Jaime Lannister/Brienne of Tarth
Comments: 25
Kudos: 111





	sweet sorrow

**Author's Note:**

> written 10-11 June 2020.
> 
> also i’m on tumblr again now?  
> @littledeconstruction  
> please throw prompts at me. make me write things.

Jaime was out on his balcony, smoking and watching the sun rise, when Brienne came out.

He stubbed the cigarette out on the railing — she hated smokers — called out a _hello, good morning_

— and wished he hadn’t. Even from here it was obvious she’d been crying, no matter how she tried to hide it behind the coffee cup, taking a long drink and a breath to compose herself before replying.

“Good morning,” she said.

Jaime settled down on the floor, leaning against the railing, stretching out his legs. “Long night?”

“Not the best one I’ve ever had. You’re up early.”

“My father’s visiting today.”

She took another drink, looking at him. No one else ever looked at him like that. Maybe no one had ever done it at all. And here she was, in a t-shirt and running shorts, drinking coffee and looking at him like ... like it didn’t matter what she did. Like she didn’t matter.

How could she think she didn’t matter?

Warm yellow morning light bought out all the angles of her face, a little breeze pushed around the hair on the back of her neck, and Jaime considered the lines of Romeo with more understanding than he’d ever had in his life: _See how she leans her cheek upon her hand — Oh that I were a glove upon that hand, that I might touch that cheek!_

“You’re not looking forward to it,” she said.

To — what? Yes. His father visiting. Yes. His chest tightened. “It’ll be okay. But ...”  You look terrible, he wanted to say. Did your asshole boyfriend cheat on you? Studying her mouth, the pink tinge to her eyes, he wanted to say so.

But they didn’t know each other like that. So he said: “Do you know Shakespeare?”

That got him a doubleblink. “What?”

“I took some acting classes, in school. Stage fighting was the best part, I wasn’t a great actor ...”

He ran lines with Tyrion, who swore that he had no personal interest at all in theatre, saying that the only roles for dwarves were discriminatory, that he wouldn’t take part in that sort of bullshit —

And then he read Horatio’s fear with a grief and patience that made Jaime stare, forgetting his cue, forgetting everything but the wonder and fury that was his brother.

He cleared his throat. “Nevermind.”

“No,” said Brienne. “What were you going to say?”

He shrugged. “Nothing. Only that you remind me of Juliet this morning.”

She rolled her eyes, making a face. “Juliet was an idiot. Falling in love with some random boy she met five minutes before ... killing herself because she couldn’t check a pulse ...”

“She was a dreamer,” said Jaime. So am I, he wanted to tell her. Instead, he said “You should have heard my brother read her part. Like when they first talk and Romeo asks her for _satisfaction_ , when they first meet, and she says, —”

“What satisfaction canst thou have tonight?” said Brienne, soft.

Jaime hesitated. “I thought you didn’t like the play.”

She turned away, staring over the city all lit with rose and gold. “I don’t like foolishness.”

“She wasn’t foolish,” said Jaime. “She was brave. She took risks.“ 

Brienne didn’t reply.

“For love,” said Jaime. 

He’d always known he was a fool. 

Brienne drank her coffee. “So. In this play, in high school .... were you Romeo?”

Jaime tried to laugh it off. “Why would you ask that? I told you, I was awful. I only liked the parts with swords.”

“Because you look like ... like you do,” she said, “and people who look like you always get the best roles.”

He didn’t answer, biting his lip, knowing t hat was as good as a yes. 

Brienne laughed. “That makes your attempt at a pick-up line even worse.”

“What? I wasn’t ...”

“Come on. I remind you of Juliet? Please.”

“Brienne,” he said. “You know me. You know I’m not like that.”

The smile fell off her face. “Yeah,” she said. “I do know.” And she picked up her mug again. “Nice chatting, Jaime. I hope your visit goes well. I’ll see you, right? Maybe tomorrow.”

Jaime scrambled to his feet — but their balconies were separated by a metre or more of empty air; all he could do was speak. “Wait. Don’t leave yet.”

“Parting is such sweet sorrow,” said Brienne. She smiled at him, taking most of the sting out of her jab, and went back inside her flat.

And Jaime sat back down. Lit another cigarette from his shaking hand and went back to smoking and trying to enjoy what little was left of the morning, trying not to think of Brienne, and failing. _What do you mean?_ she’d said. 

What he had meant of course was simply that he loved her. 

**Author's Note:**

> -“What satisfaction canst thou have tonight?” is a sex joke, and a pointed statement on Juliet’s part that she is not a girl to put on the first date, unlike some ROSALINES i could mention
> 
> -“Wherefore art thou” means “why are you” — Juliet is arguing out her obligation to uphold her family’s grudge, versus her duty to her own heart.  
> Meanwhile Romeo is creeping in the bushes listening to her talk to herself. AS YOU DO
> 
> -“If your mind dislike any thing, obey it,” says Horatio, pleading for Hamlet to cancel his upcoming duel and stay alive, okay?? just DONT DIE how hard is that  
> spoiler: way too difficult
> 
> -i like to write about Tyrion and Jaime being sibling-y together because i have a deep, cranky need for them to reconcile and totally just _hug it out._ GET OVER YOURSELF AND FORGIVE YOUR BROTHER, TYRION  
> JAIME: SAME THING BUT NAMES REVERSED


End file.
